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Arsenal play host to Manchester United on Saturday evening in a match which promises to tell us much about the two club’s respective goals this season, with Champions League qualification and a desire to catch up to Chelsea and Manchester City uppermost in their minds. Most importantly, though, it will be a match which will […]

Gameweek 11

DEFENCE: Aaron Cresswell – £5.4m (Home v Aston Villa)

West Ham remain the apple of everyone’s eye and Aston Villa simply can’t do anything but lose matches at the moment, and so whilst the football gods have probably got this one down for an away win, logic dictates that the Hammers should claim the points.

Left-back Aaron Cresswell has quietly been one of the best signings of the season since joining from Ipswich in the summer. He’s played in every minute of the Hammers’ league campaign and has two assists in his last three games. Despite all of this, however, he’s still owned by just 0.6% of teams.

MIDFIELD: Stewart Downing – £5.8m (Home v Aston Villa)

We are forever blowing bubbles this week, and it’s impossible to ignore the form of West Ham’s Stewart Downing for much longer.

Once a failure in both fantasy and reality when he flopped at Liverpool, Downing is thriving in a central role in Sam Allardyce’s West Ham side and will be extremely motivated when he takes on one of his former clubs at Upton Park. England expects, Stewie.

FORWARD: Robin van Persie – £12.4m (Home v Crystal Palace)

It’s still business at the front and party at the back for Manchester United, but surely they’ll be able to cobble together a defence which will give them a chance to beat Crystal Palace at home?

Given Radamel Falcao’s injury struggles (so that’s why he was available…) and Wayne Rooney’s rustiness, the key to victory against Neil Warnock’s men is likely to be Robin van Persie, who had a couple of chances in the Manchester derby as his side suffered a spirited defeat.

THE OUTSIDER: Steven Fletcher – £5.3m (Home v Everton)

Ah yes, here he is. You’ve been keeping an eye on him and now could be the time to take a punt on Steven Fletcher.

The Scot has scored four in four, Sunderland will have become marginally less shambolic off the back of their win at Palace and they host an Everton side who’ll be heading to Wearside off the back of a Europa League tie. Gamble? Arr.. go on.

THE CAPTAIN: Graziano Pelle – £8.4m (Home v Leicester)

It would be a brave call but if you’re in need of some points to catch up on others in your mini-leagues then a punt on Graziano Pelle to do the business against a quickly fading Leicester might just be the way to go.

Southampton, of course, remain brilliant, but their statuesque Italian hasn’t scored in his last two league games, meaning that he might just be about to go Fox-hunting.

World Cup 2014: Who Will Win the Golden Boot? Guest post from @JamesMartin013 If you would like to Guest Post on FantasyYIRMA please contact FantasyYIRMA@hotmail.com I’m back! As you may have noticed from my rather straightforward, pun-free title to this piece, I’m somewhat rusty when it comes to football writing: I’ve been busy with exams. […]

Manchester United will be hoping their victory against Olympiakos will have a positive impact on their league form, starting against West Ham. Don’t forget to follow @BETFUZE on Twitter Andy Carroll scored last week and will be confident of repeating the feat against a fragile Man Utd defence Manchester United come into the game on […]

Delighted to see that #FPL superfan Walt aka @EPLFanForLife has submitted this guest post on the return of the Fantasy Premier League. Brace yourself – he gets emotional! Check out @EPLFanForLife on twitter. Always open to chat and discuss all things FPL/EPL. T-minus 4 days – English Premier League returns – Bring it on!! Like […]

Many thanks to @Pedro_Lamb for his differential picks… Will you jump on the LambWagon? As a Derby County fan, @pedro_lamb‘s only involvement with the Premier League is through the Fantasy Premier League game. An avid FPL player, The Lamb’s imaginatively –titled team Lamb County managed to claw themselves up to 32,964th in the overall game […]

It is with great pleasure that we welcome FPL World Number 2 and the FantasyYIRMA.com mini league WINNER Kelvin Travers.

Kelvin had an unbelievable season and is a genuine fan of FPL. Having led the overall game for large parts of the year the league was decided on bonus points following the final gameweek of the season.

Take nothing away from this man – what he displayed this year in terms of judgement and consistency was extremely impressive!

We are proud to say the FY mini- league was won by an extremely deserving winner! Kelvin has been kind enough to put together an overview of his FPL journey this year – Enjoy!

*R

Season Review

Having had time to get over the disappointment of missing out by just two points on winning the 2012/13 Barclays Fantasy Premier League, I’ve been invited by @FantasyYIRMA to explain some of the highs and lows of my season, and my thoughts for next year.

Lows

I may as well start with the lows, and to be honest they don’t come any lower than finishing second having lead for most of the season – infact, having lead for most of the final day, right up until bonus points were added. Seeing Lukaku grinning at me from my bench with a hat trick and 16 points, knowing my decision to play Fellaini over him has ultimately cost me the chance to achieve the impossible and be no.1 in the world at the end of the season.

Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, who would have predicted West Brom scoring 5 past Man Utd and a Lukaku hat trick?! But, the season is played over 38 gameweeks and the guy who finishes top deserves the accolade.

Some other lows from my season that stick out – my decision to bench Berbatov in gameweek 11 when he scored two against Arsenal. Transferring in Dzeko in gameweek 27, he played 0 mins and I ended up transferring him straight back out the following week, a waste of two transfers and probably a handful of points.

I’d imagine to some people those aren’t exactly lows – finishing second in the world, benching the wrong player a couple of times, and wasting a transfer; but at the time, to me they were.

Highs

I can easily say what was the high point of the season for me – gameweek 19. It was Boxing Day and I was in my local with some friends having some festive beers. Van Persie had already scored and assisted in the afternoon kick off and everybody has giving me grief for not captaining him, as at that point I was 26th in the world and had chosen to captain Bale – it was 0-0 at half time in the Aston Villa vs Tottenham game. Then came the 45 minutes that completely changed my season, a Gareth Bale hat trick, 42 points as captain and when I woke up the next morning I was World no.1 for the first time. An incredible feeling, and unbelievable achievement, and one I thought would only last until the following gameweek and I’d never see again.

I was partly right, by the following gameweek I’d dropped to 9th, but over the second half of the season I never dropped out of the top 10, and went back to world no.1 for a further 6 weeks. In the last 16 weeks of the season, I only dropped out of the top 2 on three occasions – hence why I said earlier I was so disappointed with second place overall.

The other high point of my season was taking to Twitter to talk to people about fantasy football and becoming part of the wider fantasy football community. I was completely taken aback by the amount of support and encouragement I received from people over the course of the season, and even afterwards the messages I received after finishing second. I tried to reply to as many messages as possible, so if there was anybody who congratulated me and hasn’t already seen a reply, then I’d like to say thank you for your support.

thank you for your support

FantasyYIRMA league

I joined the FantasyYIRMA league around the end of January. At the time a guy called Des was at the top, so I got in touch with him on Twitter to check he was ok with me joining as I would be knocking him off top spot. I didn’t want to just join and spoil it for those who’d been top through the Autumn, but as I was chatting with everybody on Twitter I wanted to get involved in the league. Luckily Des said he was ok with me joining, so I have to say thanks to him otherwise I wouldn’t have been in the league.

When I joined though, I never had any intention of claiming the prize money if I’d won – I joined because of Twitter and the fantasy football community, not money. So, I decided at that point if I made it to the end of the season and won the league, I’d donate the prize money to charity. From that point onwards I felt I was playing for charity, and at one point I was overtaken at the top and wanted to fight back to win the money back for charity.

The charity I wanted to support is a local one to me, called the Candlelighters. They do some absolutely amazing work for kids who are growing up with cancer, and if anybody is ever looking for a charity to support I would really recommend you consider helping them.

Next Season

I wasn’t sure if I’d play next season after coming so close. I can’t see how I can ever do better than I have this year, but after a few weeks off I’m already missing football so can’t see how I can sit a season out.

I’m going to enjoy a couple of months off fantasy football, probably not as much as my girlfriend will enjoy me taking a couple of months off fantasy football, but I’ll definitely be coming back next year to play again.

I’ll be getting into the pre-season games and stats, doing some research on new signings, and I’ll share a few of my ideas and plans for the new season on Twitter.

Aside from joining the FantasyYIRMA league again next year, I also want to make an offer to anybody who wants to try and beat me. I’m going to setup a league of my own, free to join, and for every person who can finish above me I’ll donate £5 to charity. For every person I can finish above, I’d ask those people to donate something of any winnings they make over the season to charity, as little or as much as they can afford.

I’ll setup the league once the new season starts and post the code on Twitter, I thought it might be a fun way to play directly against some of my adversaries from this year, people on Twitter, and hopefully some new players – all whilst trying to raise a few pounds for charity. I hope a few people will want to join me alongside their existing leagues.

The players themselves have had their say, and so it’s high time that we should all give our view on the 2012/13 Premier League team of the year.

There are plenty of matters to take into consideration – this isn’t just going to be a team of eleven players who picked up the most Fantasy Premier League points – and so with that in mind take a look at the XI and tell us just what yours would be.

A tough category and one in which the likes of Simon Mignolet, Asmir Begovic and Brad Guzan deserve mentions, but it is Manchester United’s Spanish shot-stopper who takes the No. 1 jersey.

De Gea had a tough start to life in England and hadn’t really got over those problems by the beginning of this season, but he has gradually learned more and more about Premier League and Old Trafford life and only looks like getting the confidence to do better and better.

Having a league winners’ medal around his neck will do that for you.

Rafael – Manchester United

De Gea’s Old Trafford teammate gets the nod at right-back at the end of a season in which he was forced to grow up.

With his twin brother Fabio shipped out on loan to QPR, Rafael grew into his position in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side and even popped up with important goals at venues such as Anfield and against his brother’s team at Loftus Road.

At just 22 years old, United look to have found their right-back for the next few years.

Matija Nastasic – Manchester City

A name that will surprise many, but Manchester City’s Serb deserves recognition for a fine first season in English football.

Nastasic only turned 20 last month, but the composure and quality he showed during a campaign in which he ousted Joleon Lescott from the side makes you believe he’s much older.

City kept five clean sheets in Nastasic’s first six Premier League 90 minute appearances, and that wasn’t a coincidence.

Jan Vertonghen – Tottenham

A stellar first season in England for Tottenham’s Belgian, who has scored five goals as well as showcased his fine defensive attributes.

The highlight of those goalscoring exploits came with two goals in a 3-2 defeat at Anfield, but Vertonghen has been a key man in the many games that Spurs have won this season and looks like being around in these teams of the year for years to come.

He’s set the bar pretty high for himself.

Leighton Baines – Everton

There have been plenty of calls for the nation to recognise Baines as the No. 1 left-back in the country for the past couple of years, and this has been the season in which he’s confirmed those beliefs.

An ever-present threat from set pieces, Baines is so important to everything that Everton do, and can arguably be viewed as the key attacker in David Moyes’ side.

He’s likely to attract plenty of attention this summer.

Juan Mata – Chelsea

The twinkle-toed Spaniard has faced competition from teammate Eden Hazard this season, but he remains the best thing about the current Chelsea side.

A player with gifts which would light up any team in the world, Mata has registered 10 goals and an astonishing 17 assists in the Premier League alone during the campaign, and there is little wonder that Stamford Bridge fans love him.

Whoever the Chelsea manager is next season will be inheriting a gem.

Marouane Fellaini – Everton

Previously seen by many as merely a clumsy figure who could often look like a foul waiting to happen, Fellaini silenced any remaining doubters with a fine season which began with a stunning display and the winning goal against Manchester United.

He and Everton went from strength to strength from there, and with Fellaini playing in a variety of positions the Blues went on to enjoy surely their most consistent season under Moyes.

The Belgian was the key figure behind that, and is another who could attract bids this summer.

Michu – Swansea

Easily the most impressive of the Premier League players in their debut season, Swansea’s Spaniard had a terrific campaign and provided the inspiration for a comfortable top half position and success in the Capital One Cup.

Often used as a forward – although squeezed into midfield here – Michu’s penalty area predatory instincts frequently saved Swansea in tight contests, as the stylish Spaniard followed up strong goalscoring seasons in his homeland as he took to Premier League life like a swan to water.

The task now is to repeat it again next season.

Gareth Bale – Tottenham

The professionals’ choice as Player of the Year was arguably the first name on our teamsheet following a season which saw him elevate his game to yet another level.

There was a time over the campaign when the Welshman looked simply unstoppable, and even if he doesn’t reach that level again in the closing weeks of the season a total of 19 league goals and nine assists is pretty special.

Bale can seemingly be as good as he wants to be, and next season he’ll be fascinating to watch again.

Robin van Persie – Manchester United

When last season’s second best team buys the forward and main source of goals from the third best team then what do you think will happen?

The title happened for Manchester United in the most emphatic of manners, with 25 goals from their Dutch forward going a huge way towards sealing a 20th domestic league triumph for the men from Old Trafford.

The outlay on a player who will turn 30 before the start of next season doesn’t look so silly now, and Van Persie will already be eyeing goals in next season’s defence of what is his first league title.

Luis Suarez – Liverpool

You don’t have to like him, but you do have to respect his quality.

The most entertaining player to watch in the Premier League either scored or assisted 33 goals during his 33 appearances in the competition this season – a season which is now over following the much publicised against Chelsea at Anfield.

Suarez is box office though, and at times dragged Liverpool through matches during a campaign in which he was simply a compelling watch.

He’s a force of nature.

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So that’s it then, that’s the 2012/13 team of the year.

Yes, it may be a bit too attacking but would you fancy playing against them? Who’d be in your team?

Drop your comments/advice/abuse either in the comments box below or on Twitter. See you there!

The sun is shining and Michu (£8.0m) is scoring goals. It suddenly feels like August again doesn’t it?

Swansea’s Spaniard made one of the most spectacular entrances into Fantasy Premier League that we can remember, scoring four goals in his first three games and finishing the year 2012 on 13 strikes. All whilst handily listed as a midfielder.

The goals saw his Fantasy price rocket up from an initial £6.5m, with his ownership percentage increasing each week as a result. However since a goal against Manchester United just before Christmas, Michu has scored just four in 12 games since then. As a player who doesn’t contribute many assists (just two in that time and three all season), the Spaniard started to lose support.

The early season additions to many teams still sees his ownership percentage at a huge 44.1%, above the likes of Luis Suarez (39.8%), Robin van Persie (37.8%) and indeed everyone else, and after a recent return to goalscoring form there will be even more managers who are willing to take him on board in the closing weeks of the season.

Strikes against Tottenham and Norwich in the past two weeks have taken Michu’s tally to 17 goals this campaign, and after Swansea missed out on playing last weekend he has a double gameweek on the horizon in a bid to find even more.

This weekend though he faces a home game against a Southampton side who have failed to win away at a team ranked above them in the table all season, and so Michael Laudrup’s side will be confident of delivering a victory which will keep them in the top half of the table.

Michu is almost certain to be key to those hopes.

Elsewhere on a Saturday which is likely to go a long way towards determining who will be relegated this season, Norwich host a struggling Reading outfit who still look set to go down despite goalkeeper Alex McCarthy (£3.9m) earning them a point from a goalless draw with Liverpool last weekend.

Like Michu, Robert Snodgrass (£6.3m) scored in the last game at Carrow Road – Norwich’s 2-2 draw with Swansea – and the Scottish midfielder is likely to be a key element to the Canaries’ attempts to break down the Royals on Saturday, when Snodgrass will be looking to improve on his record of five goals and six assists this season.

FA Cup finalists Wigan are another side battling the drop, and although they could find it tough this weekend as they return to London to face West Ham, they do so offer intriguing cheap forward options in Arouna Kone (£6.6m) and Callum McManaman (£4.5m).

QPR simply have to beat struggling Stoke if any hope of them staying up is to remain, and so Loic Remy (£5.9m) is certain to be one to watch, whilst Sunderland’s Adam Johnson (£6.7m) is sure to be key to his side’s hopes of a second successive win as they host a strong Everton outfit.

Sunday’s matches bring together four of the top seven in a couple of big-hitting clashes, and whilst Tottenham will be hoping for the return to fitness of Gareth Bale (£10.5m) ahead of their match against Manchester City, it is a return to form that Suarez (£11.1m) will be after as Liverpool host Chelsea. After hitting 11 goals in 10 matches, the Uruguayan now hasn’t managed any in his last four.

Monday night will see Manchester United expect a victory from their home clash with Aston Villa, and whilst Van Persie (£13.6m) managed to find the net for the first time in 12 and a half hours of football for United against Stoke last weekend, it could be Wayne Rooney (£12.1m) who steals the show this time.

Stationed in a deeper role against Stoke, Rooney will be determined to return to a position further forward here, and he could just make struggling Villa pay.

As Fantasy Premier League introductions go, it will be hard for anyone to ever beat the one made by Eden Hazard (£9.5m).

A staggering six assists and one goal in his first three games saw the Belgian explode onto the English football scene, but it also meant that the seven goals and seven assists he registered over Chelsea’s next 27 league games were made to look a little disappointing.

The Blues face a busy end of season schedule featuring matches in both the FA Cup and Europa League, and although that means that Rafael Benitez is sure to rotate his squad across those competitions surely he can trust Hazard to deliver when he needs him too.

Four goals in his last seven appearances for club and country show that the Belgian might just be finishing his first season in England on a high note, and ahead of Chelsea’s game with Paolo Di Canio’s Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Sunday he could be just the man to trust.

Staying with Chelsea, an injury to Ashley Cole in the FA Cup win over Manchester United also means that Ryan Bertrand (£3.9m) could be a useful cheap addition to your squad ahead of the meeting with Sunderland, who have struggled to score goals all season and are now without the injured Steven Fletcher.

Elsewhere, another full-back could be worth keeping an eye on.

Glen Johnson (£6.5m) has scored three of his last four Premier League goals against his old club West Ham, and with the Hammers making the trip to Anfield on Sunday without the ineligible Andy Carroll then the right back will be confident that he can play a part in what would be a seventh home clean sheet in the last 10 for Liverpool, as well as getting forward and looking to improve on hitting the post against Aston Villa last week.

Speaking of Villa, they go to Stoke in a huge game for their hopes of avoiding relegation, and after Christian Benteke (£7.2m) scored again last weekend then he could be the man to back there.

Gareth Bale (£10.9m) and Robin van Persie (£13.6m) have been men to back for the majority of the season, and after both became the first men to pass 200 points for the season last weekend they both have big games in which they’ll be hoping to increase their tally this time around.

Bale and Tottenham face Everton at White Hart Lane, and given that the visitors will be without Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar for a second successive week then they could find goals hard to come by. There aren’t many better in the division than Spurs’ Jan Vertonghen (£6.5m) at keeping out the opposition at one end whilst providing a goal threat at the other.

For van Persie, Monday night brings a Manchester derby which has been spoiled slightly by Manchester United’s dominance at the top of the table – but should still be watchable nonetheless.

The Dutchman didn’t get credited with the goal at Sunderland last weekend after we’d given him our big build-up, but perhaps he can make up for that at Old Trafford as United seek to take yet another step towards the title.

At the other end, QPR and Reading face must-win home games in their battles against the drop, and with Southampton and Wigan both capable of capitalising on the nervousness that is likely to be all around Loftus Road and Madejski Stadium respectively, then Rickie Lambert (£7.1m) and Arouna Kone (£6.6m) could take advantage. Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez (£5.1m) has also scored in his last two games.

Santi Cazorla (£9.6m) has only scored in his last one, but he could be the man to watch ahead of Arsenal’s trip to West Brom, where the Gunners will be looking for a seventh win in nine.